Not So Fragile
by SavannahNicole
Summary: Byakuya is working late on another division's paperwork when he recieves a visitor.


It was yet another late night for the sixth division's taicho. Strangely enough, it wasn't the sixth division's work he was trying to complete; it was the fifth division's reports. Naturally, Byakuya was just as surprised, though not emotionally hurt, to learn of the betrayal made by the fifth division's taicho, Sosuke Aizen, as well as the ninth and third division's betrayals. The seemingly stoic leader of the noble Kuchiki clan inwardly swore to destroy Aizen and Gin with his own hand. He suppressed a sigh as he thought back to the day he almost lost his adopted sister, Rukia. No matter how many times she attempted to assure him that he had absolutely nothing to apologize for, he still couldn't help feeling his actions leading up to that fateful day are unforgivable. It was due to that reason that he didn't mind accepting the Commander General's offer.

It's not that he enjoys paperwork. He just doesn't like the thought of Rukia being in the human world, so he thought the work would keep his mind off the topic. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't helping that much. His mind actually hadn't left the topic for the past thirty minutes. Interestingly, it wasn't really that he didn't want her to fight the arrancar, it was her job to fight them, it was that he didn't want her with Ichigo Kurosaki. Even though she wasn't necessarily alone with him, Abarai-fukutaicho and Hitsugaya-taicho were there along with three other ranked shinigami, Byakuya still wasn't thrilled. In fact, when the emergency squad was being formed at the Captain's meeting, he tried to prevent her from going in his own fashion: saying she wasn't ready. Needless to say, he lost.

_**Flashback.**_

_"Now that we have decided Rukia Kuchiki is the best candidate for the mission," the Commander General stated officially closing the topic, "who will go to supervise?"_

_"I will go since it appears my fukutaicho wants to go so bad." Hitsugaya offered. Everyone agreed that was fine, and the meeting continued._

_"Now all that needs to be settled is the paperwork for the tenth and fifth division. Who would be willing to take some over?"_

_A few short moments later, the thirteenth division's taicho sheepishly raised his hand. "I will be willing to do the tenth division's paperwork." Unitake figured since Hitsugaya would be supervising one of his subordinates the least he could do was the tenth division's paperwork. Again everyone agreed that was fine and the meeting continued to see who would take care of the fifth division's work._

_"It's been a while since Aizen's departure, isn't it time Hinamori-fukutaicho took over the fifth division's work?" Soi Fon asked with a hint of disgust in her voice. "She is basically useless without Aizen. A new fukutaicho needs to be appointed who can actually be of some use."_

_Hitsugaya's teeth clenched along with his fists. To say Momo Hinamori was a sensitive subject for him was an understatement. You could even say it was a sure fire way to get under his skin. "It is not you place to decide that, Soi Fon-taicho." He angrily reminded her._

_"Then perhaps we should put it to a vote, and not let our personal feelings get involved, Hitsugaya-taicho." _

_"What was that?" he hissed, but before she could retort a thunderous noise came from the head of the table. _

_"We do not have enough time for this Hitsugaya-taicho, Soi Fon-taicho," Both quickly bowed their heads and muttered quick apologies, though not to each other, "now, the fifth division's __paperwork?" The oldest shinigami leader was growing impatient with his subordinates. Byakuya quickly snapped out of his mental sulking and offered to do the paperwork since it was right next door._

**_End Flashback._**

Byakuya grabbed the next report and began to read; it was the current report on Hinamori-fukutaicho. According to Unohana-taicho she was doing better this week. He didn't particularly care about what the fragile shinigami was doing since she means nothing to him. As he began to do the paperwork on the report in his hand there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." Once the door opened and revealed his late night visitor, Byakuya's eyes widened a fraction.

Hinamori quickly bowed her head. To be perfectly honest, he was extremely surprised to see the frail fukutaicho he was just reading about. The report in his hand clearly stated that she was confided to bed rest, and should not be walking around.

"I'm sorry for coming so late Kuchiki-taicho, but I had just heard you were taking over the fifth division's paperwork, and that Toshiro-kun was leaving, and"

"Why are you here, Hinamori-fukutaicho?" he asked rudely interrupting her.

"Oh, uh, I was wondering if you would allow me to assist you."

"I am more than capable of handing paperwork."

"Oh, no no, I didn't mean it like that Kuchiki-taicho!" she cried loudly. Upon realizing how loud she had responded, she quickly bowed her head and apologized again. In a much softer tone she tried again. "It's just that Toshiro-kun wouldn't let me help him, and I had hoped you would let me do something, anything." Her eyes began to plead with him.

Byakuya just watched the small shinigami that stood before him. "Why would I do that?" He knew that she should be in bed resting. Out of everyone in the Gotei thirteen, she took Aizen's betrayal the hardest. Hinamori didn't seem to have an answer, and Byakuya was just about to dismiss her when she started to speak.

"I just hate lying in that bed. I have way too much time to think about," she paused clearly struggling to say his name, "A-A-Aizen-taicho's," again she paused, "betrayal. I am the fukutaicho of this division and in our toughest time, I should be doing something, even if it's only paperwork." Her eyes practically begged him to reconsider.

"If Hitsugaya-taicho would not allow this, then why should I?"

"Toshiro-kun thinks I'm still too fragile."

"That's because you look so fragile. Even standing before me now, you look as if you will crumble."

"But I won't!" She yelled once again too loud. "I can handle some damn paperwork." Byakuya raised his eyebrows in surprise. The fifth division fukutaicho had questioned his judgment before, such as when he had his foolish fukutaicho in jail for losing against the then ryoka, Ichigo Kurosaki, but never had she gone this far. After gasping almost as loudly as she had yelled, she quickly bowed her head and offered a quiet apology as she turned to leave.

"If you still insist on assisting me, pull up a chair and start working."

She flashed him a smile, a rarity coming from her nowadays, as she turned to pull a chair up to his neatly organized desk and began to work. "Thank you, Kuchiki-taicho."

He gave her a dimple nod and watched her work for a moment before returning to his own stack of papers. _Perhaps you aren't as fragile as you appear._

Alright, so that was my attempt at Byakuya and Hinamori. I'm not sure anyone will like it, but it came to me, so to speak. This is my first Byakuya fanfic and my first Hinamori, I mostly focus on Orihime and Ulquiorra. I tried to keep them in character, but I don't know how it comes off. So don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think.

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